Minute 333 calls for an operations and maintenance account at the North American Development Bank, which would set aside a portion of future money provided to Mexico to pay for upkeep.
Why it matters
New pipes and pumps fail early without maintenance, and Tijuana's utility doesn't have enough revenue to keep up. Much of this crisis traces back to infrastructure that was built and then left to wear out. See Why it keeps happening.
Where it stands (as of October 2026)
- Proposed, not funded. Recommendations are due within 12 months of Minute 333's signing, so by December 2026. EPA's September update says they will go to the IBWC commissioners that month.
- A binational maintenance work group, including EPA, SEMARNAT, Mexico's federal water agency, the North American Development Bank, and both sections of the IBWC, is developing long-term strategies.
Who's responsible
The binational maintenance work group, under Minute 333.
What to watch
The December 2026 recommendations: how much money is set aside, where it comes from, and whether the account is actually created and funded.
Related
Who's responsible. Project tracker.
Sources
- U.S. EPA, announcement of Minute 333, December 2025
- U.S. EPA, Tijuana River watershed public updates, quarterly updates from November 2025 to September 2026